TOWSON, Md. – The Towson University baseball team fell to UNCW 12-6 on Friday afternoon after battling early in an offensive barrage.
UNCW (11-7, 3-1 CAA) got on the board in the first on a sacrifice fly. Towson (6-13, 1-3 CAA) answered in the bottom of the inning with three runs on three hits and an error to take the lead. An error in the top of the second allowed the Seahawks to tie the game at three. The Tigers took the lead once again in the bottom of the inning on a single and sacrifice fly, making it 5-3 Tigers. Again, UNCW tied it in the top of the third, scoring two runs on an error and a single to short. Towson took a one-run lead in the bottom half on a fielder's choice groundout to short. A double and groundout gave UNCW a one-run advantage in the fourth. A grounder in the fifth made it 8-6 Seahawks. Three hits in the eighth tacked on two more for UNCW. Back-to-back homers in the ninth produced the 12-6 final score for UNCW.
Key Stats:
- Towson was outhit 19 to eight in the game, picking up just one multi-hit game from Casey Bishop. Every player in the UNCW starting lineup recorded a hit, with six players picking up multi-hit games.
- UNCW relief pitcher Connor Kane allowed just one hit in 4.0 innings pitched to close out the game and pick up the save.
- Seven of the Tigers' eight hits came in the first three innings of the game. UNCW held the Tigers scoreless in the final six innings of the game.
How it Happened:
- A single and double to start the game put runners on the corners for UNCW, allowing Tanner Thach's lineout to center to score the first run of the game.
- The Tigers responded in the bottom of the inning by taking a 3-1 lead. Heckelman singled with runners on the corners to score the first. Dickerson's double play groundout pushed the second across. Reyce Curnane's double down the right field line brought in the third.
- After back-to-back singles in the top of the second, an error brought home both runners to tie the game at 3 apiece.
- Towson retook the lead on Bishop's single through the left side with the bases loaded. Heckelman's sacrifice fly on the following at-bat extended the lead to 5-3.
- With runners on first and second, Kevin Pitarra reached on an error to allow another run to score. A single on the following at-bat tied the game again.
- In the bottom of the inning, the Tigers retook the lead on a fielder's choice grounder to short.
- Back-to-back singles and a double tied the game again. Later in the inning with runners on second and third, UNCW retook the 7-6 lead on a ground ball to second.
- The Seahawks extended it to 8-6 on a putout from second base to the pitcher at first.
- A single, double, single sequence in the top of the eighth made it 10-6 Seahawks.
- Back-to-back home runs in the ninth brought the score to the 12-6 final.
Inside the Numbers:
- James Moses extended his on-base streak to 16 games with one hit on the afternoon.
- Casey Bishop extended his hitting streak to eight games, passing James Moses' team-high seven game hitting streak earlier in the season. He also picked up his ninth multi-hit game of the season, good for the team lead. His .378 average ranks 12th in the CAA.
- Brian Heckelman picked up his fourth multi-RBI game of the year, tying him with Elijah Dickerson for the team lead.
On Deck for the Tigers:
Towson and UNCW play game two of the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Schuerholz Park. Sunday's series finale is also scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.
